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Ibn Hajr Quoting al-Qurtubi: The Companions Never Delved into al-Jawhar (Substance) and al-'Arad (Accident) - And Criticism of the Ash'arite Theologians Posted by Abu.Iyaad on Sunday, July, 05 2009 and filed under Articles Key topics: Al-Qurtubi Jawhar 'arad A'raad Substance Accident Al-Qurtubi Jawhar 'arad A'raad Substance Accident We mentioned in a previous article Ibn Hajr's refutation of one of the main principles of the Ash'aris relating to the first obligation upon the servant (which the generality of the Ash'aris consider to be an-nadhr wal-istidlaal - to rationally prove one's faith in the Creator). View that article here. This was in the beginning of his explanation of Kitaab ut-Tawheed from Saheeh ul-Bukhaaree. In the same section Ibn Hajr quotes a nice piece from al-Qurtubi - inshaa'Allaah if time allows we may translate it all, the quote from al-Qurtubi spans more than a page in length. The generality of the Ash'aris hold that it is an obligation for each person to know the proofs for the existence of his Lord, through rational and observational proofs and some of them (such as al-Baqillani) go to extremes in claiming that each and every person must learn the preliminary philosophical precepts that underlie the demonstration of Allaah's existence through al-jawhar wal-'arad (substance and accident). A page earlier, Ibn Hajr makes mention of the positions of Ibn Fawrak and his followers, and also that of Abu Bakr al-Baqillani and Abu Ishaq al-Isfaraa'eenee (all Ash'aris - being students of Abul-Hasan al-Bahili, the student of Abu Hasan al-Ash'ari) on this subject.
In this quote al-Qurtubi is repudiating the likes of the mutakallimeen (Theologians) and their sophistry and much of what they delved into. In the course of this, al-Qurtubi says:
And he (al-Qurtubi) continues:
So we see from these quotes that Ibn Hajr quotes al-Qurtubi in the context of the opinions of the Ash'arite Theologians on the subject of the first obligation upon the servants - being influenced in that by the Mu'tazilah - and al-Qurtubi repudiates those delving into the al-jawhar (substance) and al-'arad (accident) - which is all of the Ash'arite Theologians, for all of their books contain this, and he makes mention of one of the earlier leading figureheads, Imaam ul-Haramayn al-Juwaynee, repenting from that misguided path at the end of his life. Jahmi Ash'arite Apologetics Exposed And this is an exposition of many of these Jahmite Ash'ari apologetics writing on the subject of "al-Jawhar al-Fard" (the indivisible element), attempting to defend it, making wild and exaggerated claims that unless we hold onto this notion and use it in our creed, it will lead to belief in the eternity of the universe (and therefore atheism)! And here we have Ibn Hajr, quoting al-Qurtubi who repudiates the people who investigate into such affairs, declaring them to be upon misguidance! The root of this is their following the Philosophers of the pagan nations of the past such as the Greeks and Hindus and their abandoning what the Companions were upon and not sufficing with that.
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